Monday's Practice: Locker Room Chatter

John M. Crist

08/21/2006

The Bears closed the majority of Monday's session, but they did open the locker room for the first time and gave the players a chance to talk before they hit the practice field. Bear Report got soundbites from the likes of Rex Grossman, Brian Urlacher, Muhsin Muhammad, Nathan Vasher, Rashied Davis, and several others. Read what they had to say, plus see the updated injury report.

Rex Grossman on the struggles of the running game so far and how he can get it going again:
"It's hard to say what it is right now. It just feels like nothing's coming easy to us right now. As soon as we just get some success, everything will be running downhill. That' what I'm thinking is going to happen because I know we can do it. (If) we start making plays in the passing game, it will open up some of the running game. We're going to have a few more plays in this week and a few more running plays and a few more additions to the offense that will hopefully open up some running game."

Muhsin Muhammad on whether the other receivers need him out there to build continuity:
"I think by me not playing last week, I think it was a good decision for me. I think it was a good decision for the team. I think that the guys that got a chance to get some reps on the field probably appreciate that I didn't play so they could get a chance to get a look. And if not making this team, then other teams will have an opportunity to look at them. The guys who also played in that game got a chance to get some more balls thrown their way and gauge where they're at, test what they can do. So me not playing last week, there's some good things that came out of that, and the guys played well for the most part. There were some dropped balls that probably shouldn't have been dropped and a couple overthrows here and there, but for the most part, guys played hard. They did play hard."

Chris Harris on all the missed tackles on defense in the first two preseason games:
"I don't know what contributed to that, the missed tackles, but we've all been tackling since we were kids. It was like that last year. We don't hit in practice. That's no excuse. You've just got to go out there and get your job done."

Desmond Clark on whether or not he actually has to make four or five catches a game to be effective:
"It's how you determine effective. Effective one game might be different from the next game. Effective one game might be four or five passes caught, and then the next game it might not be. It might be that the defense is focusing on the middle of the field (and) trying to take something away, and it's open for something else. That changes from week to week with however our game plan is put in. So, I guess to answer your question, yes and no."

Nathan Vasher on whether he'll be ready for Week 1 despite missing a few preseason games:
"I don't have any doubt about that. I feel real confident about the things we have going. And as far as the defensive schemes, I know them like the back of my hand, and I look forward to getting back out there."

Rashied Davis on what he saw on film from last week's game and what he can do to get better:
"There was two, three passes I could have caught that I didn't. Plays that I left out on the field that we need as a team. I can't make those mistakes when the regular season starts."

Brian Urlacher on his defense keeping opponents out of the end zone but still surrendering chunks of yardage:
"Yards don't win games. Yards don't win games. I've said that my whole career. Points win games. We don't give up points. We've made some mistakes. We missed a bunch of tackles the first couple games, but that's going to happen in the preseason. It's better to eliminate those and get people on the ground."